“The Sun and the Moon,” Philip said, amused as he watched her “Two fascinating jewels on one necklace.” “The Sun, a two-hundred-eighty-carat diamond of the first water, absolutely pure, brilliantly white, and according to legend a stone with a checkered past I know about these jewels the same way I know about the Kohinoor or the Pitt—as stones I may admire, even lust after, but not as stones to risk my life for.” “When the motive is only money or acquisition, even diamonds can be resisted,” Adrianne said, and started to rise, but he caught her hand His grip was firmer than it should have been, and his eyes showed that he was no longer amused “When the motive is revenge, it should be resisted.” Her hand flexed once in his, then lay passive Control, he thought, could be both blessing and curse “Revenge clouds the mind so that you can’t think coolly Passions of any kind lead to mistakes.” “I have only one passion.” The candlelight flickered over her face, deepening the hollows of her cheeks “I’ve had twenty years to cultivate it, channel it Not all passions are hot and dangerous, Philip Some are ice cold.” Bantam Books by Nora Roberts BRAZEN VIRTUE CARNAL INNOCENCE DIVINE EVIL GENUINE LIES HOT ICE PUBLIC SECRETS SACRED SINS SWEET REVENGE To Carolyn Nichols, for the support and the friendship Part I THE BITTER Women are your fields Go, then, into your fields as you please THE KORAN He was her man, but he done her wrong “Frankie and Johnny” Chapter One New York, 1989 Stuart Spencer hated his hotel room excessively The only advantage to being in New York was that his wife was in London and couldn’t hound him about sticking to his diet He’d ordered up a club sandwich from room service and was savoring each bite He was a portly, balding man without the jolly disposition expected from one with his looks A blister on his heel plagued him, as did a persistent head cold After he’d gulped half a cup of tea, he decided with cranky British chauvinism that Americans simply couldn’t brew decent tea no matter how much they tried He wanted a hot bath, a cup of good Earl Grey, and an hour of quiet, but, he feared, the restless man standing by the window was going to force him to postpone all of that… perhaps indefinitely “Well, I’m here, dammit.” Scowling, he watched Philip Chamberlain twitch back the curtain “Lovely view.” Philip gazed out at the wall of another building “Gives such a cozy feel to this place.” “Philip, I feel compelled to remind you that I dislike flying across the Atlantic in winter Moreover, I have a backlog of paperwork waiting for me in London, and the bulk of it is on account of you and your irregular procedures So, if you’ve information for me, please pass it on At once, if that’s not too much to ask.” Philip continued to look out the window He was edgy about the outcome of the informal meeting he’d demanded, but nothing in his cool manner so much as hinted at the tension he felt “I really must take you to a show while you’re here, Stuart A musical You’re getting dour in your old age.” “Get on with it.” Philip let the curtain fall back into place and moved smoothly toward the man to whom he’d reported these last few years His occupation demanded confident, athletic grace He was thirty-five, but had a quarter of a century of professional experience behind him He had been born in London’s slums, yet even when young he’d been able to finesse invitations to society’s best parties, no small accomplishment in the days before Britain’s rigid class consciousness had broken down under the onslaught of the Mods and the Rockers He knew what it was to be hungry, just as he knew what it was to have his fill of beluga Because he preferred caviar, he had made certain he lived a life that included it He was good, very good, at what he did, but success hadn’t come easily “I have a hypothetical proposition for you, Stuart.” Taking a seat, Philip helped himself to tea “Let me ask you if over the last few years I’ve been some help to you.” Spencer took a bite of his sandwich and hoped it, and Philip, wouldn’t give him indigestion “Are you looking for a salary increase?” “A thought, but not precisely what I have in mind.” He was capable of producing a particularly charming smile which he could use to great effect when he chose And he chose to so now “The question is, has having a thief on Interpol’s payroll been worthwhile?” Spencer sniffed, pulled out a handkerchief, then blew “From time to time.” Philip noted, wondering if Stuart had, too, that this time he had not used the qualifier “retired” before “thief,” and that Stuart had not corrected the omission “You’ve gotten positively miserly with your compliments.” “I’m not here to flatter you, Philip, merely to learn why the devil you thought anything was important enough to demand I fly to New York in the middle of the damn winter.” “Would you care for two?” “Two what?” “Thieves, Stuart.” He held out a triangle of the club sandwich “You really should try this on whole wheat.” “What are you getting at?” There was a great deal riding on the next few moments, but Philip had lived most of his life with his future, with his very neck, riding on his actions in a matter of moments He’d been a thief, and an excellent one, leading Captain Stuart Spencer and men like him down blind alleys and dead ends from London to Paris, from Paris to Morocco, from Morocco to wherever the next prize waited Then he’d done a complete about-face and begun to work for Spencer and Interpol instead of against them That had been a business decision, Philip reminded himself It had been a matter of figuring the odds and the profit What he was about to propose was personal “Let’s say, hypothetically, that I knew of a particularly clever thief, one who’s managed to keep Interpol jumping for a decade, one who’s decided to retire from active duty, and would offer services in exchange for clemency.” “You’re speaking of The Shadow.” Philip meticulously brushed crumbs from his fingertips He was a neat man, by habit and by necessity “Hypothetically.” The Shadow Spencer forgot his aching heel and jet lag Millions of dollars in jewels had been stolen by the faceless figure of the thief known only as The Shadow For ten years Spencer had tracked him, dogged him, missed him For the past eighteen months Interpol had intensified its investigations, going so far as to set a thief to catch a thief—Philip Chamberlain, the only man Spencer knew whose exploits exceeded those of The Shadow The man, Spencer thought on a sudden wave of fury, he had trusted “You know who he is, dammit You have known who he is and where we can find him.” Stuart braced his hands on the table “Ten years Ten years we’ve been after this man And, damn you, for months you’ve been paid to find him while stringing us along You’ve known his identity and whereabouts all the time!” “Perhaps I have.” Philip spread his long, artistic fingers “Perhaps I haven’t.” “I feel like putting you in a cage and dropping the key in the Thames.” “But you won’t, because I’m like the son you never had.” “I have a son, blast you.” “Not like me.” Tipping back in his chair, Philip continued “What I’m proposing is the same deal you and I made five years ago You had the vision then to see that hiring the best had distinct advantages over pursuing the best.” “You were assigned to catch this man, not negotiate for him If you have a name, I want a name If you have a description, I want it Facts, Philip, not hypothetical propositions.” “You have nothing,” Philip said abruptly “Absolutely nothing after ten years If I walk out of this room, you’ll still have nothing.” “I’ll have you.” Spencer’s voice was flat, and final enough to have Philip narrowing his eyes “A man with your taste would find prison very disagreeable.” “Threats?” A chill, brief but very real, ran over Philip’s skin He folded his hands and kept his eyes level, holding onto the certainty that Spencer was bluffing Philip wasn’t “I have clemency, remember? That was the deal.” “It’s you who’s changed the rules Give me the name, Philip, and let me my job.” “You think small, Stuart That’s why you recovered only some diamonds while I took many You put The Shadow in jail, you have only a thief in jail Do you really think you’ll recover a fraction of what was taken over the last decade?” “It’s a matter of justice.” “Yes.” Philip’s tone had changed, Spencer realized, and for the first time in this conversation, he lowered his eyes But not from shame Spencer knew Philip too well to believe for a moment that the man was the least abashed “It is a matter of justice, and we’ll come to that.” Philip rose again, too restless to sit “When you assigned me to the case, I took it because this particular thief interested me That hasn’t changed In fact, you could say my interest has peaked considerably.” It wouldn’t to push Spencer too far True, they’d developed a grudging admiration for each other over the years, but Spencer had always and would always stick to the straight and narrow “Say, hypothetically still of course, that I know the identity of The Shadow Say we’ve had conversations that lead me to believe you could use this individual’s talents and that they would be given for the small consideration of a clean slate.” “Small consideration? The bastard’s stolen more than you did.” Philip’s brows shot up With a slight frown he brushed a crumb from his sleeve “I hardly think it’s necessary to insult me No one has stolen jewels with a greater total value than I did in my career.” “Proud of yourself, are you?” Color swept alarmingly into Spencer’s face “Living the life of a thief isn’t something I’d boast about.” “Therein lies the difference between us.” “Crawling into windows, making deals in back alleys—” “Please, you’ll make me sentimental No, better count to ten, Stuart I don’t want to be responsible for an alarming rise in your blood pressure.” He picked up the teapot again “Perhaps this is a good time to tell you that while I was lifting locks, I developed a strong respect for you I imagine I’d still be in second-story work if it hadn’t been for you edging closer with every job I pulled I don’t regret the way I lived any more than I regret changing sides.” Stuart calmed enough to gulp down the tea Philip had poured for him “That’s neither here nor there.” But he could acknowledge that Philip’s admission pleased him “Fact is, you are working for me now.” “I haven’t forgotten.” He turned his head to gaze at the window It was an icy, clear day that made him long for spring “To continue then,” he said, snapping around to level an intense gaze at Stuart, “as a loyal employee I feel it my obligation to recruit for you when I come upon a worthy prospect.” “Thief.” “Yes, and an excellent one.” His smile bloomed once more “Further, I’d be willing to wager that neither yours nor any other law enforcement agency is going to get a glimmer of this thief’s real identity.” Sobering a bit, he leaned forward “Not now, not ever, Stuart, I promise you.” “He’ll move again.” “There’ll be no more moves.” “How can you be sure?” Philip folded his hands His wedding ring glinted dully “I’ll see to it, personally.” “What is he to you?” “Difficult to explain Listen to me, Stuart For five years I’ve worked for you, worked beside you More than a few of the jobs have been dirty, even more have been dirty and dangerous I’ve never asked you for anything, but I’m asking for this: Clemency for my hypothetical thief.” “I can hardly guarantee—” “Your word is guarantee enough,” Philip said, and silenced him “In return, I’ll even retrieve the Rubens for you And, better still, I believe I can assure you a prize that will provide political weight to cool down a particularly hot situation.” Spencer had little trouble adding two and two “In the Middle East?” Topping off his cup, Philip shrugged “Hypothetically.” Whatever the answer, he intended to lead Stuart to the Rubens and to Abdu Still, he never showed his hand before the final call “You could say that with the information I give you, England could bring pressure to bear where it might be most useful.” Spencer looked hard at Philip They had gone so unexpectedly far beyond discussing diamonds and rubies, crime and punishment “You’re over your head, Philip.” “I appreciate the concern.” He sat back again because he sensed the tide was changing “I promise you, I know exactly what I’m doing.” “It’s a delicate game you’re playing.” The most delicate, Philip thought The most important “One we can both win, Stuart.” Wheezing a bit, Spencer rose to open a bottle of scotch He poured a generous amount in a tumbler, hesitated, then poured a second “Tell me what you’ve got, Philip I’ll what I can.” He waited a moment, measuring “I’m putting the only thing that matters to me into your hands You must remember that, Stuart.” He pushed his tea aside and accepted the tumbler “I saw the Rubens when I was inside the treasure room of King Abdu of Jaquir.” Spencer’s normally bland eyes widened “And what the hell were you doing in the king’s vault?” “It’s a long story.” Philip saluted Stuart with his glass, then drank deeply “It’s best to start at the beginning, with Phoebe Spring.” Chapter Twenty-Seven “I have to tell you I’m terribly hurt you got married without me.” “Celeste, I’ve already explained to you that it was only a ruse.” “Ruse or not, I should have been there.” Celeste arranged the new scarf around her neck and studied the results in the mirror “Besides the fact that if I’m any judge, you’ll have to run long and hard to get away from a man like Philip Chamberlain.” She grinned, running her fingers down the scarf “Twenty years ago I’d have raced you for him.” “Be that as it may, as soon as this is over, well be going our separate ways.” “My dear.” She turned away from the mirror to face Adrianne “You’re not nearly the actress your mother was.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You’re in love with him, terminally I’d guess And I’m thrilled for you.” “Feelings don’t change facts.” She worried the ring on her finger “Philip and I have an agreement.” “My darling.” She kissed Adrianne’s cheek “Feelings change everything Would you like to talk about it?” “No.” She signed, annoyed that the sound was plaintive “Actually, I don’t even want to think about it quite yet I’ve enough on my mind.” It took only that for Celeste’s smile to fade “I’m worried about you, worried about what he’ll now that he knows you have it.” “What can he do?” In dismissal, Adrianne picked up her coat “He might want to murder me, but that wouldn’t get him back the necklace.” She faced herself in the mirror again as she secured the hooks “Believe me, I know how much he’ll want it, how much he’ll compromise to get it.” “How can you talk about all of this so calmly?” “Because I’m bedouin enough to accept my own destiny This is what I’ve been waiting for all my life Don’t worry, Celeste, he won’t kill me, and he’ll pay.” In the glass she saw her own eyes harden “Once he does, maybe I’ll be able to see the rest of my life more clearly.” “Addy.” Celeste took her hand, holding her back “Has it been worth it?” She thought of the roads she’d taken, all of which had led her to an airless vault in an ancient palace Involuntarily, she reached up to touch the hoops in her ears “It has to be It will be.” She left, deciding to walk the few blocks to her own apartment rather than take a cab The street was quiet It was almost February now and too cold for casual strolls There would be a few diehards jogging their frigid way around the park, breath pumping out in clouds Doormen stood wrapped in wool, ears tingling With her hands deep in her pockets, Adrianne walked without hurry She knew she was being followed She’d spotted the tail the day before Her father’s handiwork, she was certain, though she hadn’t mentioned it to Philip The necklace was her insurance Philip would be at his meeting with Spencer by now There was some secret there, she mused He’d been distracted when they’d gone their separate ways that afternoon Actually, he’d been distracted from the moment Spencer had called to say he’d arrived Not her business, she reminded herself Hadn’t she just finished telling Celeste that she and Philip had an agreement? If he had secrets, or problems with his superior, he was entitled to his privacy But she wished—couldn’t help but wish—that he had confided in her She saw the long black limo outside her building It wasn’t an unusual sight, but her heart began to hammer Somehow she knew even before the door opened who would step out Abdu had exchanged his throbe for a business suit, his sandals for good Italian leather, but he still wore the headdress of his country They stood watching each other in silence “Come with me.” She eyed the man beside him, knowing he would be armed, knowing he would obey without question any command from his king Fury might make Abdu want to have her shot on the street, but he wasn’t a fool “I think it best you come with me.” She turned her back on him and held her breath as she walked into the building “Leave your man outside,” she said as she felt him behind her “This is between the two of us.” They stepped onto the elevator If anyone had looked, they would have seen a handsome, distinguished man in a dark chesterfield and a young woman, obviously his daughter, in mink Some might have noted what a stunning picture they made before the elevator doors closed them in She was hot It had nothing to with the heat of the building or the warmth of her fur It wasn’t fear, though she was well aware his hands were strong enough to choke her before they’d reached the top floor It wasn’t even triumph, not yet, but merely anticipation of the moment she’d waited for so long “You got my letter.” Though he didn’t answer, she tilted her head to look at him “I sent you another years ago You didn’t come then Apparently the necklace is worth more than my mother’s life.” “I could have you taken back to Jaquir You would be grateful to have only your hands severed.” “You have no hold over me.” She stepped out as the doors opened “Not anymore I loved you once, and feared you more Now even the fear’s gone.” She opened the door of her apartment and saw that his men had already been there Cushions were slashed, tables upturned, drawers tossed out It was more than a search, more personal, more vindictive Fury leapt out and into her eyes “Did you think I would keep it here?” She moved into the room, skirting the rubble “I’ve waited much too long to make it simple for you.” She was expecting the blow and managed to step back enough so that it glanced off her cheek “Touch me again,” she said evenly, “and you’ll never see it I swear to you.” He clenched his hands at his sides “You will return what belongs to me.” She took off her coat to toss it aside The Chinese box lay broken at her feet, but it had done its work The necklace was once more in a vault This time in a New York bank “I have nothing that belongs to you What I have belonged to my mother, and now to me That is the law of Islam, the law of Jaquir, the law of the king.” Her eyes were a mirror of his “Do you defy the law?” “I am the law The Sun and the Moon belongs to Jaquir and to me, not to the daughter of a whore.” Adrianne walked over to the portrait of her mother that had been ripped from the wall and thrown aside Carefully, she righted it so that the glorious face was turned toward him She waited until he looked, and saw, and remembered “It belonged to the wife of a king, before God and before the law.” She crossed back to him “It was you who stole—her necklace, her honor, and in the end, her life I swore I would take it back, and I have I swore you would pay, and you will.” “It is like a woman to lust after stones.” He gripped her arm, fingers digging “You have no knowledge of their true value, their true meaning.” “As well as you,” she said, and managed to pry free “Perhaps better than you Do you think I care about the diamond, about the pearl?” With a sound of disgust she whirled away from him “It was the gift of it that mattered to her, and the betrayal when you took it away and usurped her She didn’t care about the necklace, about the cut, the color, the carats It mattered only that you’d given it in love and taken it in hate.” He hated having the portrait there, staring at him, reminding him “I was mad when I gave it, sane when I took it back If you want to live, you will bring it to me.” “Another death on your hands?” She moved her shoulders as if it mattered no more to her than to him “If I die, it dies with me.” She waited until she was certain he believed her “Yes, you see I mean what I say I’ve been prepared to die for this If I do, I’ll still have revenge But I’d prefer to avoid that You can take it back to Jaquir, but not without a price.” “I will take it back, and the price will be yours to pay.” She turned to him This was her father, yet she felt nothing Thank God this time she felt nothing “I’ve spent most of my life hating you.” She said it calmly, flatly, her voice a mirror of her emotions “You know how she suffered, how she died.” She waited, watching his eyes “Yes, you would know Pain, torment, grief, confusion I watched her die a little year by year Knowing that you should understand there’s nothing you can to me that could matter.” “Perhaps not, but you are not alone.” She went pale, pleasing him “If you harm Philip, I’ll see you dead I swear it, and The Sun and the Moon’s only home will be in the bottom of the sea.” “So he matters to you.” “More than you’re capable of understanding.” With her throat tight, she played her final card “But even he doesn’t know where the necklace is Only I know You deal with me, and only me, Abdu I promise you the value I put on your honor will be far below the value of my mother’s life.” He raised his fist this time Adrianne braced just as the door slammed shut “You lay a hand on her again, and I’ll kill you.” Even as Adrianne stumbled back, Philip had Abdu by the lapels “No, don’t.” Panicked, she grabbed Philip’s arm and pulled “Don’t He didn’t hit me.” He spared her a brief glance “There’s blood on your lip.” “It’s nothing I—” “Not this time, Addy.” He said it very calmly an instant before he rammed his fist into Abdu’s jaw The king went down, taking a Queen Anne table with him The sting in Philip’s knuckles gave him more satisfaction than holding a hundred rare stones “That was for the bruise you put on her face.” He waited until Abdu had pulled himself onto the torn couch “For the rest you owe her, I’d have to kill you, but she doesn’t want you dead So I’ll say this, there are ways to maim a man I’m sure you’re aware Think of them and think of them carefully before you raise your hand to her again.” Abdu wiped the blood from his mouth He was breathing heavily, not from pain but from humiliation Not since the day he’d become king had he been struck, or touched unless he had granted permission “You are a dead man.” “I think not Your two goons outside are already answering a few questions of my associate as to why they’re carrying concealed weapons That’s Captain Stuart Spencer of Interpol I neglected to mention I worked for Interpol, didn’t I?” He glanced around “We’d better fire that housekeeper, Adrianne I could with a brandy Would you mind hunting some up?” She’d never seen him look like this She’d never heard his voice carry this edge She hadn’t been afraid of Abdu, but she was afraid of Philip at this moment And afraid for him “Philip—” “Please.” He touched a hand to her cheek “Do this for me.” “All right I’ll just be a minute.” He waited until she was out of the room, then sat on the arm of a chair “In Jaquir you would not live to see the sun set, and you would praise God when you died.” “You’re a bastard, Abdu The fact that your blood’s blue doesn’t make you less of one.” He let out a long breath “Now that the pleasantries are over, I want to start off saying that I don’t give a damn about your ways, not here What I feel for or about you at the moment doesn’t matter either This is business Before we get down to it, I’d like to explain the rules to you.” “I have no business with you, Chamberlain.” “Whatever else you are, you’re not a stupid man I don’t have to detail the reasons for Addy taking the necklace You should know that the plan was hers I came in on it only during the last stages, and though it bruises the pride to admit it, she could have carried it off alone She slipped it out from under your nose, and it’s to her you’ll make payment.” He paused a moment “But it’s to me you’ll answer if any harm comes to her I should add that if you’ve any thought of making a deal, then having our throats quietly slit, Interpol already has the details of the entire transaction Our deaths, accidental or otherwise, will trigger an investigation of you and your country which I believe you’d prefer to avoid She’s bested you, Abdu My advice is to take it like a man.” “What would you know of being a man? You’re nothing but a woman’s lapdog.” Philip only smiled, but even the amusement was deadly “Would you prefer to go outside and settle this in an alley? I assure you I’m agreeable.” He glanced over as Adrianne walked back into the room “Thank you, darling.” After accepting the brandy he gestured to Abdu “I think we’d better get on with business Abdu’s a busy man.” Her hands were steady again She deliberately chose a chair between Philip and Abdu “As I said, the necklace is my property This is the law, one which would be held up even in Jaquir if the situation were made public I’d prefer to avoid publicity, but will go to the press here, in Europe, and in the East if it becomes necessary The scandal would be of little consequence to me.” “The story of the theft and your treachery would ruin you.” “On the contrary.” Now she smiled “I could dine off the story for the rest of my life But that’s hardly the issue I’ll return the necklace to you and forfeit all claim to it I’ll keep silent about your treatment of my mother, and of your dishonor You can return to Jaquir with The Sun and the Moon and your secrets—for five million dollars.” “You put a high price on your honor.” Hard, unwavering, her eyes met his again “Not on mine, on my mother’s.” He could have them dead Abdu weighed the satisfaction of seeing them blown apart by a car bomb, assassinated by a silenced bullet, poisoned at some decadent American party He had the means and the power to arrange it The satisfaction would be great But so would the consequences If their deaths were traced back to him, he could not hold off the outcries If it became known that The Sun and the Moon had been taken from him, his people might riot and he would be shamed He wanted the necklace back and couldn’t, as yet, afford to avenge himself His ties with the West were hateful but necessary Money was pumped out of the desert every day Five million dollars would scarcely lighten his purse “You will have your money if money is what you require.” “It’s all I require from you.” Rising, she opened her purse and took out a business card “My attorneys,” she said as she handed it to Abdu “The transaction will be made through them The moment I’m assured the deposit has been made in my Swiss account, I’ll give The Sun and the Moon to you or your representative.” “You will not return to Jaquir or have contact with any members of my family.” Her price, and it was heavier than she’d ever imagined “I will not, as long as you live.” He spoke to her in Arabic softly, so that she paled Then he turned away and left her standing in the rubble of her home “What did he say to you?” Because it was important not to care, even now, she shrugged “He said that he would live a very long time, but that to him, and to all members of the House of Jaquir, I was already dead He will pray to Allah that I will die in pain and despair, like my mother.” Philip rose and tilted her chin up with his hand “You could hardly expect a blessing.” She forced a smile “No It’s done, and I expected to feel a fabulous wave of joy, if not satisfaction.” “What you feel?” “Nothing After all this, after everything, I can’t seem to feel anything at all.” “Then maybe we should go down and look at your building.” Now the smile came easily Then she laughed and dragged her hands through her hair “That might it I need to know it was right.” When she looked over at her mother’s portrait her stomach muscles unclenched “The money meant nothing to him, but I want to be sure he understood, and he remembers.” “He understood, Addy And he’ll remember.” “Philip.” She touched his hand, then drew back “We have to talk.” “Am I going to need more brandy?” “I want you to know how grateful I am for everything you’ve done.” “Mmm-hmm.” He decided it best to sit again “Don’t take it lightly You helped me turn the most important corner in my life Without you I might have accomplished it, but it wouldn’t have meant the same thing.” “Oh, I doubt it Doubt that you could have pulled it off without me,” he explained “But if it makes you feel better to think so, go ahead.” “I knew exactly what—” She caught herself “Never mind The point is that I want to thank you for everything.” “Before you walk me to the door?” “Before we each get back to our own lives,” she corrected him “Are you trying to annoy me?” “Not at all I’m only trying to be certain I know exactly what you want Have you finished thanking me yet?” “Yes.” She turned to kick at a broken vase “Quite finished.” “Well, you might have gushed a bit more, but I’ll have to settle Now, if I have this right, you’d like me to stroll out the door and out of your life.” “I’d like you to what’s best for both of us.” “In that case.” When his hands came to her shoulders she pulled away “It’s over, Philip, I’ve got plans I’ve got to start in motion The clinic, my retirement, my— social life.” He decided he could wait a day or two to tell her she would be working for Interpol When the time was right, he’d add the fact that Abdu was going to have to answer some tricky questions about possession of a stolen painting But they had other business, personal business, first “And you don’t have room for a husband.” “The wedding was part of the act.” She turned back This was supposed to be easy, she thought Something they should have been able to laugh over before they went their separate ways “It may be a bit awkward dealing with the press and well-meaning friends, but between us, the entire thing can be dissolved very simply There’s no reason why either of us should be bound by a—” “Promise?” he finished “There were a few promises tossed about in there, I believe.” “Don’t make this difficult.” “All right, then We’ve played it your way until now We’ll finish it your way How I go about it again?” Her mouth was dry Adrianne picked up his brandy and took a gulp “It’s easy You only have to say I divorce you’ three times.” “Just like that? I don’t have to stand on one foot and say it under the light of a full moon?” She set the snifter down with a click “That’s not funny.” “No, it’s ridiculous.” He took her hand, curling his fingers tight around hers when she would have pulled away He knew how to figure the odds, had always known This time he couldn’t be sure they were in his favor “I divorce you,” he said, then leaned down to touch his mouth to hers Her lips trembled Her own fingers tightened “I divorce you.” With his free arm he pulled her closer and deepened the lass “I—” “No.” Swearing, Adrianne threw her arms around him and clung “No, dammit.” Relief made his knees weak For a moment, just a moment, he buried his face in her hair “You’ve interrupted me, Addy Now I’ll have to start all over again In about fifty years.” “Philip—” “My way now.” He drew her back so that he could look at her face She was pale again Good He hoped he’d scared the life out of her “We’re married, for better or worse If necessary we’ll have another ceremony here or in London The kind that requires solicitors, a great deal of money, and a great deal of trouble to dissolve.” “I never said I’d—” “Too late.” He nipped at her lower lip “You blew your chance.” She closed her eyes “I don’t know why.” “Yes, you Say it put loud, Addy Your tongue won’t fall out.” When she pulled back he tightened his grip “Come now, darling, you’ve never been a coward.” That had her eyes opening He watched them spit at him and grinned “Maybe I love you.” “Maybe?” She let out a huff of breath “I think I love you.” “Try one more time You’ll get it right.” “I love you.” Now her breath came out in a rush “There Satisfied?” “No, but I intend to be.” He dragged her down to the ruined couch Look for another favorite, available now from Bantam Books BRAZEN VIRTUE by Nora Roberts Please read on for a riveting preview of Brazen Virtue BRAZEN VIRTUE On sale now Grace heard the low, droning buzz and blamed it on the wine She didn’t groan or grumble about the hangover She’d been taught that every sin, venial or mortal, required penance It was one of the few aspects of her early Catholic training she carried with her into adulthood The sun was up and strong enough to filter through the gauzy curtains at the windows In defense, she buried her face in the pillow She managed to block out the light, but not the buzzing She was awake, and hating it Thinking of aspirin and coffee, she pushed herself up in bed It was then she realized the buzzing wasn’t inside her head, but outside the house She rummaged through one of her bags and came up with a ratty terry-cloth robe In her closet at home was a silk one, a gift from a former lover Grace had fond memories of the lover, but preferred the terry-cloth robe Still groggy, she stumbled to the window and pushed the curtain aside It was a beautiful day, cool and smelling just faintly of spring and turned earth There was a sagging chain-link fence separating her sisters yard from the yard next door Tangled and pitiful against it was a forsythia bush It was struggling to bloom, and Grace thought its tiny yellow flowers looked brave and daring It hadn’t occurred to her until then how tired she was of hothouse flowers and perfect petals On a huge yawn, she looked beyond it She saw him then, in the backyard of the house next door Long narrow boards were braced on sawhorses With the kind of easy competence she admired, he measured and marked and cut through Intrigued, Grace shoved the window up to get a better look The morning air was chill, but she leaned into it, pleased that it cleared her head Like the forsythia, he was something to see Paul Bunyan, she thought, and grinned The man had to be six-four if he was an inch and built along the lines of a fullback Even with the distance she could see the power of his muscles moving under his jacket He had a mane of red hair and a full beard—not a trimmed little affectation, but the real thing She could just see his mouth move in its cushion in time to the country music that jingled out of a portable radio When the buzzing stopped, she was smiling down at him, her elbows resting on the sill “Hi,” she called Her smile widened as he turned and looked up She’d noticed that his body had braced as he’d turned, not so much in surprise, she thought, but in readiness “I like your house.” Ed relaxed as he saw the woman in the window He’d put in over sixty hours that week, and had killed a man The sight of a pretty woman smiling at him from a second-story window did a lot to soothe his worn nerves “Thanks.” “You fixing it up?” “Bit by bit.” He shaded his eyes against the sun and studied her She wasn’t his neighbor Though he and Kathleen Breezewood hadn’t exchanged more than a dozen words, he knew her by sight But there was something familiar in the grinning face and tousled hair “You visiting?” “Yes, Kathy’s my sister I guess she’s gone already She teaches.” “Oh.” He’d learned more about his neighbor in two seconds than he had in two months Her nickname was Kathy, she had a sister, and she was a teacher Ed hefted another board onto the horses “Staying long?” “I’m not sure.” She leaned out a bit farther so the breeze ruffled her hair It was a small indulgence the pace and convenience of New York had denied her “Did you plant the azaleas out front?” “Yeah Last week.” “They’re terrific I think I’ll put some in for Kath.” She smiled again “See you.” She pulled her head inside and was gone For a minute longer Ed stared at the empty window She’d left it open, he noted, and the temperature had yet to climb to sixty He took out his carpenter’s pencil to mark the wood He knew that face It was both a matter of business and personality that he never forgot one It would come to him Inside, Grace pulled on a pair of sweats Her hair was still damp from the shower, but she wasn’t in the mood to fuss with blow dryers and styling brushes There was coffee to be drunk, a paper to be read, and a murder to be solved By her calculations, she could put Maxwell to work and have enough carved out to be satisfied before Kathleen returned from Our Lady of Hope Downstairs, she put on the coffee, then checked out the contents of the refrigerator The best bet was the spaghetti left over from the night before Grace bypassed eggs and pulled out the neat plastic container It took her a minute to realize that her sister’s kitchen wasn’t civilized enough to have a microwave Taking this in stride, she tossed the top into the sink and dug in She’d eat it cold Chewing, she spotted the note on the kitchen table Kathleen always left notes Help yourself to whatever’s in the kitchen Grace smiled and forked more cold spaghetti into her mouth Don’t worry about dinner I’ll pick up a couple steaks And that, she thought, was Kathleen’s polite way of telling her not to mess up the kitchen Parent conference this afternoon I’ll be home by five-thirty Don’t use the phone in my office Grace wrinkled her nose as she stuffed the note into her pocket It would take time, and some pressure, but she was determined to learn more of her sister’s moonlighting adventures And there was the matter of finding out the name of her sisters lawyer Kathleen’s objections and pride aside, Grace wanted to speak to him personally If she did so carefully enough, her sister’s ego wouldn’t be bruised In any case, sometimes you had to overlook a couple of bruises and shoot for the goal Until she had Kevin back, Kathleen would never be able to put her life in order That scum Breezewood had no right using Kevin as a weapon against Kathleen He’d always been an operator, she thought Jonathan Breezewood the third was a cold and calculating manipulator who used family position and monied politics to get his way But not this time It might take some maneuvering, but Grace would find a way to set things right She turned the heat off under the coffeepot just as someone knocked on the front door Her trunk, she decided, and snatched up the carton of spaghetti as she started down the hall An extra ten bucks should convince the delivery man to haul it upstairs She had a persuasive smile ready as she opened the door “G B McCabe, right?” Ed stood on the stoop with a hardback copy of Murder in Style He’d nearly sawed a finger off when he’d put the name together with the face “That’s right.” She glanced at the picture on the back cover Her hair had been styled and crimped, and the photographer had used stark black and white to make her look mysterious “You’ve got a good eye I barely recognize myself from that picture.” Now that he was here, he hadn’t the least idea what to with himself This kind of thing always happened, he knew, whenever he acted on impulse Especially with a woman “I like your stuff I guess I’ve read most of it.” “Only most of it?” Grace stuck the fork back in the spaghetti as she smiled at him “Don’t you know that writers have huge and fragile egos? You’re supposed to say you’ve read every word I’ve ever written and adored them all.” He relaxed a little because her smile demanded he so “How about ‘you tell a hell of a story’?” “That’ll do.” “When I realized who you were, I guess I just wanted to come over and make sure I was right.” “Well, you win the prize Come on in.” “Thanks.” He shifted the book to his other hand and felt like an idiot “But I don’t want to bother you.” Grace gave him a long, solemn look He was even more impressive up close than he’d been from the window And his eyes were blue, a dark, interesting blue “You mean you don’t want me to sign that?” “Well, yes, but—” “Come in then.” She took his arm and pulled him inside “The coffee’s hot.” “I don’t drink it.” “Don’t drink coffee? How you stay alive?” Then she smiled and gestured with her fork “Come on back anyway, there’s probably something you can drink So you like mysteries?” He liked the way she walked, slowly, carelessly, as though she could change her mind about direction at any moment “I guess you could say mysteries are my life.” “Mine too.” In the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator again “No beer,” she murmured and decided to remedy that at the first opportunity “No sodas, either Christ, Kathy There’s juice It looks like orange.” “Fine.” “I’ve got some spaghetti here Want to share?” “No, thanks Is that your breakfast?” “Mmmm.” She poured his juice, gesturing casually to a chair as she went to the stove to pour her coffee “Have you lived next door long?” He was tempted to mention nutrition but managed to control himself “Just a couple of months.” “It must be great, fixing it up the way you want.” She took another bite of the pasta “Is that what you are, a carpenter? You have the hands for it.” He found himself pleasantly relieved that she hadn’t asked him if he played ball “No I’m a cop.” “You’re kidding Really?” She shoved her carton aside and leaned forward It was her eyes that made her beautiful, he decided on the spot They were so alive, so full of fascination “I’m crazy about cops Some of my best characters are cops, even the bad ones.” “I know.” He had to smile “You’ve got a feel for police work It shows in the way you plot a book Everything works on logic and deduction.” “All my logic goes into writing.” She picked up her coffee, then remembered she’d forgotten the cream Rather than get up, she drank it black “What kind of cop are you—uniform, undercover?” “Homicide.” “Kismet.” She laughed and squeezed his hand “I can’t believe it, I come to visit my sister and plop right down beside a homicide detective Are you working on anything right now?” “Actually, we just wrapped something up yesterday.” A rough one, she decided There’d been something about the way he’d said it, the faintest change of tone Though her curiosity was piqued, it was controlled by compassion “I’ve got a hell of a murder working right now A series of murders, actually I’ve got …” She trailed off Ed saw her eyes darken She sat back and propped her bare feet on an empty chair “I can change the location,” she began slowly “Set it right here in D.C That’s better It would work What you think?” “Well, I—” “Maybe I could come down to the station sometime You could show me around.” Already taking her thought processes to the next stage, she thrust her hand into the pocket of her robe for a cigarette “That’s allowed, isn’t it?” “I could probably work it out.” “Terrific Look, have you got a wife or a lover or anything?” He stared at her as she lit the cigarette and blew out smoke “Not right now,” he said cautiously “Then maybe you’d have a couple of hours now and again in the evening for me.” He picked up his juice and took a long swallow “A couple of hours,” he repeated “Now and again?” “Yeah I wouldn’t expect you to give me all your free time, just squeeze me in when you’re in the mood.” “When I’m in the mood,” he murmured Her robe dipped down to the floor but was parted at the knee to reveal her legs, pale from winter and smooth as marble Maybe miracles did still happen “You could be kind of my expert consultant, you know? I mean, who’d know murder investigations in D.C better than a D.C homicide detective?” Consultant A little flustered by his own thoughts, he switched his mind off her legs “Right.” He let out a long breath, then laughed “You roll right along, don’t you, Miss McCabe?” “It’s Grace, and I’m pushy, but I won’t pout very long if you say no.” He wondered as he looked at her if there was a man alive who could have said no to those eyes Then again, his partner Ben always told him he was a sucker “I’ve got a couple hours, now and then.” “Thanks Listen, how about dinner tomorrow? By that time Kath will be thrilled to be rid of me for a while We could talk murder I’m buying.” “I’d like that.” He rose, feeling as though he’d just taken a fast, unexpected ride “I’d better get back to work.” “Let me sign your book.” After a quick search, she found a pen on a magnetic holder by the phone “I don’t know your name.” “Its Ed Ed Jackson.” “Hi, Ed.” She scrawled on the title page, then unconsciously slipped the pen into her pocket “See you tomorrow, about seven?” “Okay.” She had freckles, he noticed A half dozen of them sprinkled over the bridge of her nose And her wrists were slim and frail He shifted the book again “Thanks for the autograph.” Grace let him out the back door He smelled good, she thought, like wood shavings and soap Then, rubbing her hands together, she went upstairs to plug in Maxwell She worked throughout the day, skipping lunch in favor of the candy bar she found in her coat pocket Whenever she surfaced from the world she was creating into the one around her, she could hear the hammering and sawing from the house next door She’d set up her workstation by the window because she liked looking at that house and imagining what was going on inside Once she noticed a car pull up in the driveway next door A rangy, dark-haired man got out and sauntered up the walk, entering the house without knocking Grace speculated on him for a moment, then dove back into her plot The next time she bothered to look, two hours had passed and the car was gone She arched her back, then, digging her last cigarette out of the pack, read over a few paragraphs “Good work, Maxwell,” she declared Pushing a series of buttons, she shut him down for the day Because her thoughts drifted to her sister, Grace got up to tidy the bed Her trunk stood in the middle of the room The delivery man had indeed carried it upstairs for her, and with the least encouragement from her would have unpacked it as well She glanced at it, considered, then opted to deal with the chaos inside it later Instead she went downstairs, found a top-forty station on the radio, and filled the house with the latest from ZZ Top Kathleen found her in the living room, sprawled on the sofa with a magazine and a glass of wine She had to fight back a surge of impatience She’d just spent the day battling to push something into the minds of a hundred and thirty teenagers The parent consultation had gotten her nowhere, and her car had begun to make ominous noises on the way home And here was her sister, with nothing but time on her hands and money in the bank With the bag of groceries in her arm, she walked over to the radio and switched it off Grace glanced up, focused, and smiled “Hi I didn’t hear you come in.” “I’m not surprised You had the radio up all the way.” “Sorry.” Grace remembered to put the magazine back on the table rather than let it slide to the floor “Rough day?” “Some of us have them.” She turned and walked toward the kitchen Grace swung her feet to the floor, then sat for a minute with her head in her hands After taking a few deep breaths, she rose and followed her sister into the kitchen “I went ahead and beefed up the salad from last night Its still the best thing I cook.” “Fine.” Kathleen was already lining a broiling pan with foil “Want some wine?” “No, I’m working tonight.” “On the phone?” “That’s right On the phone.” She slapped the meat onto the broiler pan “Hey, Kath, I was asking, not criticizing.” When she got no response, Grace reached for the wine and topped off her glass “Actually, it crossed my mind that I might be able to use what you’re doing as an angle in a book.” “You don’t change, you?” Kathleen whirled around In her eyes, the fury was hot and pulsing “Nothings ever private where you’re concerned.” “For heavens sake, Kathy, I didn’t mean I’d use your name or even your situation, just the idea, that’s all It was simply a thought.” “Everything’s grist for the mill, your mill Maybe you’d like to use my divorce while you’re at it.” “I’ve never used you,” Grace said quietly “You use everyone—friends, lovers, family Oh, you sympathize with their pain and problems on the outside, but inside you’re ticking away, figuring how to make it work for you Can’t you be told anything, see anything without thinking how you can use it in a book?” Grace opened her mouth to deny, to protest, then closed it again on a sigh The truth, no matter how unattractive, was better faced “No, I guess not I’m sorry.” “Then drop it, all right?” Kathleen’s voice was abruptly calm again “I don’t want to argue tonight.” “Neither I.” Making the effort, she started fresh “I was thinking I might rent a car while I’m here, play tourist a little And if I was mobile, I could the shopping and save you some time.” “Fine.” Kathleen switched the broiler on, shifting her body enough so that Grace couldn’t see her hand wasn’t steady “There’s a Hertz place on the way to school I could drop you off in the morning.” “Okay.” Now what, Grace asked herself as she sipped her wine “Oh, I met the guy next door this morning.” “I’m sure you did.” Her voice was taut as she slid the meat under the flame She was surprised Grace hadn’t made friends with everyone in the entire neighborhood by now Grace sipped her wine and worked on her temper It was usually she who lost it first, she remembered This time she wouldn’t “He’s very nice Turns out to be a cop We’re having dinner tomorrow.” “Isn’t that lovely.” Kathleen slammed a pot on the stove and added water “You work fast, Gracie, as usual.” Grace took another slow sip, then set her glass carefully on the counter “I think I’ll go for a walk.” “I’m sorry.” With her eyes closed, Kathleen leaned against the stove “I didn’t mean that, I didn’t mean to snap at you.” “All right.” She wasn’t always quick to forgive, but she only had one sister “Why don’t you sit down? You’re tired.” “No, I’m on call tonight I want to get this done before the phone starts ringing.” “I’ll it You can supervise.” She took her sister’s arm and nudged her into a chair “What goes in the pan?” “There’s a package in the bag.” Kathleen dug in her purse, pulled out a bottle, and shook out two pills Grace dipped in the grocery bag and took out an envelope “Noodles in garlic sauce Handy.” She ripped it open and dumped it in without reading the directions “I’d just as soon you didn’t jump down my throat again, but you want to talk about it?” “No, it was just a long day.” She dry-swallowed the pills “I’ve got papers to grade.” “Well, I won’t be able to you any good there I could take the phone calls for you.” Kathleen managed a smile “No, thanks.” Grace took out the salad bowl and set it on the table “Maybe I could just take notes.” “No If you don’t stir those noodles, they’ll stick.” “Oh.” Willing to oblige, Grace turned to them In the silence, she heard the meat begin to sizzle “Easter’s next week Don’t you get a few days off?” “Five, counting the weekend.” “Why don’t we take a quick trip, join the madness in Fort Lauderdale, get some sun?” “I can’t afford it.” “My treat, Kath Come on, it’d be fun Remember the spring of our senior year when we begged and pleaded with Mom and Dad to let us go?” “You begged and pleaded,” Kathleen reminded her “Whatever, we went For three days we partied, got sunburned, and met dozens of guys Remember that one, Joe or Jack, who tried to climb in the window of our motel room?” “After you told him I was hot for his body.” “Well, you were Poor guy nearly killed himself.” With a laugh, she stabbed a noodle and wondered if it was done “God, we were so young, and so stupid What the hell, Kath, we’ve still got it together enough to have a few college guys leer at us.” “Drinking sprees and college boys don’t interest me Besides, I’ve arranged to be on call all weekend Switch the noodles down to warm, Grace, and turn the meat over.” She obeyed and said nothing as she heard Kathleen setting the table It wasn’t the drinking or the men, Grace thought She’d just wanted to recapture something of the sisterhood they’d shared “You’re working too hard.” “I’m not in your position, Grace I can’t afford to lie on the couch and read magazines all afternoon.” Grace picked up her wine again And bit her tongue There were days she sat in front of a screen for twelve hours, nights she worked until three On a book tour she was on all day and half the night until she had only enough energy to crawl into bed and fall into a stuporous sleep She might consider herself lucky, she might still be astonished at the amount of money that rolled in from royalty checks, but she earned it It was a constant source of annoyance that her sister never understood that “I’m on vacation.” She tried to say it lightly, but the edge was there “I’m not.” “Fine If you don’t want to go away, would you mind if I did some puttering around in the yard?” “I don’t care.” Kathleen rubbed her temple The headaches never seemed to fade completely any longer “Actually I’d appreciate it I haven’t given it much thought We had a beautiful garden in California Do you remember?” “Sure.” Grace had always thought it too orderly and formal, like Jonathan Like Kathleen She hated the little stab of bitterness she felt and pushed it aside “We could go for some pansies, and what were those things Mom always loved? Morning glories.” “All right.” But her mind was on other things “Grace, the meats going to burn.” Later, Kathleen closed herself in her office Grace could hear the phone ring, the Fantasy phone, as she’d decided to term it She counted ten calls before she went upstairs Too restless to sleep, she turned on her computer But she wasn’t thinking of work or of the murders she created The contented feeling that had been with her the night before and most of the day was gone Kathleen wasn’t all right Her mood swings were too quick and too sharp It had been on the tip of her tongue to mention therapy, but she’d been too aware of what the reaction would have been Kathleen would have given her one of those hard, closed-in looks, and the discussion would have ended Grace had mentioned Kevin only once Kathleen had told her she didn’t want to discuss him or Jonathan She knew her sister well enough to realize that Kathleen was regretting her visit What was worse, Grace was regretting it herself Kathleen always managed to point out the worst aspects of her, aspects that under other circumstances Grace herself managed to brush over But she’d come to help Somehow, despite both of them, she was going to But it would take some time, she told herself for comfort, resting her chin on her arm She could see lights in the windows next door She couldn’t hear the phone ring now with the office door closed and her own pulled to She wondered how many more calls her sister would take that night How many more men would she sastisfy without ever having seen their faces? Did she grade papers between calls? It should have been funny She wished it were funny, but she couldn’t stop seeing the tension on Kathleen’s face as she’d pushed her food around her plate There was nothing she could do, Grace told herself as she rubbed her hands over her eyes Kathleen was determined to handle things her way It was wonderful to hear her voice again, to hear her make promises and give that quick, husky laugh She was wearing black this time, something thin and filmy that a man could tear away on a whim She’d like that, he thought She’d like it if he were there with her, ripping off her clothes The man she was talking to barely spoke at all He was glad If he closed his eyes, he could imagine she was talking to him And only him He’d been listening to her for hours, call after call After a while, the words no longer mattered Just her voice, the warm, teasing voice that poured through his earphones and into his head From somewhere in the house a television was playing, but he didn’t hear it He only heard Desiree She wanted him In his mind he sometimes heard her say his name Jerald She would say it with that half laugh she often had in her voice When he went to her, she would open up her arms and say it again, slowly, breathlessly Jerald They would make love in all the ways she described He would be the man to finally satisfy her He would be the man she wanted above all others It would be his name she said over and over again, on a whisper, on a moan, on a scream Jerald, Jerald, Jerald He shuddered, then lay back, spent, in the swivel chair in front of his computer He was eighteen years old and had made love to women only in his dreams Tonight his dreams were only of Desiree And he was mad SWEET REVENGE A Bantam Book PUBLISHING HISTORY Bantam edition published January 1989 Bantam reissue / June 1997 Bantam reissue / December 2006 Published by Bantam Dell A Division of Random House, Inc New York, New York This is a work of fiction Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental All rights reserved Copyright © 1988 by Nora Roberts Bantam Books and the rooster colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc., eISBN: 978-0-307-56836-6 www.bantamdell.com v3.0 Table of Contents Other Books By This Author Title Page Dedication Part I - The Bitter Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Part II - The Shadow Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Part III - The Sweet Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Copyright ... Philip Some are ice cold.” Bantam Books by Nora Roberts BRAZEN VIRTUE CARNAL INNOCENCE DIVINE EVIL GENUINE LIES HOT ICE PUBLIC SECRETS SACRED SINS SWEET REVENGE To Carolyn Nichols, for the support... longer amused “When the motive is revenge, it should be resisted.” Her hand flexed once in his, then lay passive Control, he thought, could be both blessing and curse Revenge clouds the mind so that... Jaquir were not supposed to work or to worry They were given everything they needed—fine rooms, the sweetest of perfumes Her mother had beautiful clothes and jewelry She had The Sun and the Moon Adrianne